Eating on the Road

By Nancy Brinch, MS, RD, LSW

A college athlete can find healthful eating a challenge when traveling to athletic events. Balancing eating schedules with event schedules and making healthful food selections on the road can be difficult.

Eating out more healthfully

While eating out can be fast and convenient, it also can be a cause overeating. According to Restaurant Confidential one serving of Fettuccine Alfredo contains 1500 calories and 97 grams of fat. A Bloomin Onion contains 1690 calories and 119 grams of fat without the dipping sauce (2130 calories and 163 of fat with the dipping sauce). A typical serving of King Pao chicken contains 1620 calories and 76 grams of fat. A Burger King Value Meal with a Whopper, medium fries and medium Coke has 1270 calories and 57 grams of fat. A Starbucks venti caffe mocha has 530 calories and 29 grams of fat.

Fast Food Strategies

1. Choose grilled chicken instead of beef - but watch out for high-calorie mayonnaise-based sauces. Ask for low-fat mayonnaise instead.

2. Look for salads - and use a light dressing or use half of the regular dressing.

3. Order small sizes - avoid the temptation to supersize your meal.

4. Drink water or unsweetened iced tea.

Fast food suggestions:

McDonald's:
Small hamburger
Grilled chicken Caesar salad
Chicken McGrill with light mayo
Egg McMuffin

Burger King:
Small hamburger
Chicken Whopper Jr. Chicken
Whopper with reduced-fat mayo
BK veggie burger

Wendy's:
Jr. hamburger
Grilled chicken sandwich
Chili - large or small
Mandarin chicken salad
Southwest chicken salad
Spring mix salad

KFC:
Tender roast chicken sandwich
Honey BBQ chicken sandwich

Subway:
Low fat subs with light mayo
(i.e. Select honey mustard ham, Select red wine
vinaigrette club, Select sweet onion
chicken Teriyaki)
Baked chips

Taco Bell:
Soft chicken taco
Regular soft taco
Bean burrito

General restaurant strategies

1. Ask the server to explain the menu if a food item is unclear. Ask how the meats and vegetables are prepared. Even if they are grilled or baked they may be served with butter or sauces that are high in fat.

2. Select foods from the healthy or light menu items. Usually these foods are healthier choices.

3. Watch for hidden fats. Full-fat salad dressings can add 250-300 calories to a salad. Although the fat in salad dressings is not harmful to the heart, it can add a significant amount of calories. Meats can be high in fat. Select a relatively lean cut like sirloin over a porterhouse steak or prime rib. Watch out for words like creamy, sautéed, Alfredo. These all indicate the meal is high in fat and calories.

4. Request changes in how a food is prepared or served. Ask if an item can be grilled rather than fried. Ask for salad dressing on the side and for potato accompaniments like sour cream and cheese on the side and use only small portions.

5. Ask about substitutions. Ask if the restaurant will serve a salad or plain baked potato instead of cole slaw or fries. Ask for light salad dressing instead of full-fat dressing. Ask if an omelet can be prepared with egg substitute or egg whites. The restaurant may not honor your request, but asking is worth the effort.

6. Watch out for buffets. Attempting to get your money's worth may be self-defeating if this means eating a high-fat, high-calorie meal.

Chain restaurant suggestions:

Olive Garden:
Minestrone soup
Linguine alla Marinara
Chicken Giardino
Grilled chicken Capri

Chili's:
Chicken salad with dressing
Chicken sandwich with black beans and steamed vegetables
Chicken platter (grilled chicken breast with rice, corn on the cob, steamed vegetables)

Applebee's:
Low-fat quesadilla
Low-fat blackened chicken salad with dressing
Low-fat chicken fajita quesadilla
Low-fat lemon chicken pasta